Honestly a verbal bid is a waste of time, most investors are not contractors and need detail in order to obtain apples to apples comparative bids. 

Kids growing older and looming retirement spurs action, but it's less effective at that age. 

After this incident, I didnt want to waste a day in my life in a career that i did not care for. i think the earlier you start, the better as you will start to build your book of business and clients.

I need someone to come out by Monday night at the latest because I'm in contract to buy the house and I need to get back to the seller"..Tony , when you say this to a contractor , its like saying  , Will you rush to come out and waste your time looking at a house I might  buy , and maybe I will hire you to do the work .

When I sell to buyers, they make their checks out to me personally.I formed an LLC today (today is the Effective Formation Date) and I notified all my buyers to begin making their checks to me payable to my LLC (instead of me personally).However, what is the proper thing to do with those checks my buyers *already* wrote a couple weeks ago (that are currently in the mail on their way to me) that have been endorsed to me personally? 

Wasting time sending those mail pieces and on the phone when they call you. 

The other way around is a waste of time.There are areas in LA where a triplex or a fourplex are a good way to get into buy and hold investment, as the price per door is more affordable than SFR/condos.

Don't waste your time in deals like this.

Another favorite site of BPer's: http://www.lonestarlandlaw.com/deceptive-trade-pra...Notice that "taking advantage of" and "predatory" have the same meaning.Consumer protection laws are basically, anti-predatory laws:https://www.nclc.org/images/pdf/udap/report_50_sta...Look to pages 6, 7 and 8, in the charts you'll see real estate listed and the findings of the effectiveness of state laws, in the opinion of the study.Here's GA.

We're looking OOS, AND sitting in cash,  feeling a cyclical change coming, nothing big, (rubber band effect), just a return of a bit of common sense.